Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3001/1/1/1010
Plasma Homocysteine Levels in Neuromyelitis Optica
Lei Zhang, Yaqing Shu, Shaoyang Sun, Yinyao Lin, Yanqiang Wang, Bingjun Zhang and Xuejiao Men
Article Type: Original Article | First Published: October 30, 2014
Background and purpose: Homocysteine has been implicated in many kinds of neurologic diseases by inducing oxidative injury which is considered one of the pathogenic mechanisms of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were any relationship between plasma homocysteine and clinical features of NMO patients.
Methods: We measured plasma homocysteine in 66 patients with NMO and 66 controls.
Results: The patients with NMO had significantly higher homocys...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3001/1/1/1009
The Character and Frequency of Muscular Pain in Myotonic Dystrophy and Their Relationship to Myotonia
Parmova O, Vohanka S, Strenkova J
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 29, 2014
Background: Myotonic dystrophy is the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults. Pain is reported in various hereditary muscular diseases at a frequency of 64%–83%.
Methods: A group of 70 patients with myotonic dystrophy (21 persons with type 1 and 49 with type 2) was investigated by means of questionnaires structured around the subject of pain.
Results: The frequency of long-term muscle pain was 57% in patients suffering from myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 55% among those with type 2....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410006
Effect of Yogic Practices on Mental Health of Orphans Children
Morteza Alibakhshi Kenari
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 27, 2014
Orphan children suffer greatly from much physical, physiological and mental disorders leading to the bad effect on their, over-all adjustment, emotional stability autonomy, security-insecurity, intelligence and self concept. Yogic practices are providing the best method to achieve good mental health. Thus keeping in view the benefits of yogic practices, an attempt has made to investigate scientifically the effect yogic practices on mental health of orphan children. In this study the investigator...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410005
Cerebellar Stroke in Children, Case report from Qatar & Brief Literature Review
Abdulhafeez M Khair, Mahmoud Elseid, Khalid Mohamed, Rana Al-shami, Khalid Ibrahim and Ahmed Elsotouhy
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: October 27, 2014
Introduction: Cerebro-vascular accidents do happen for both adults & children. Pediatric data in contrary to adult data are clearly defiient & lacking behind. Childhood cerebellar strokes are much more rare & diffiult to pick up.
Case Report: We are reporting a toddler girl, who happened to be an ex premature & part of quadruplet. She presented with severe headache & head tilting in the absence of other focalizing CNS symptoms. Her brain MRI showed changes suggestive of cerebellar stroke. Pati...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410004
Anti Citrullinated Protein / Peptide Antibody Assay, Rheumathoid Factor or Both as Shifted Test in Diagnostic and Prognostic Evaluation in Patients with Rheumathoid Arthritis
Dejan Spasovski, Tatjana Sotirova, Svetlana Krstevska-Balkanov, Maja-Slaninka-Micevska, Trajan Balkanov, Sonja Alabakovska, Sonja Genadieva-Stavric
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 27, 2014
Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic values of laboratory variables, to present quantitative evaluations of the anti citrullinated protein / peptide antibody (ACPA), or anti CCP ( anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, anti-CCP 2) antibodies in second generation antibody assay diagnostic test with reference to sensitivity and specifiity, the predictive value of the positive and negative test and precision of the test for ACPA antibodies, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein and ...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3648/1410005
Aspergillus flavus Blast2GO Gene Ontology Database: Elevated Growth Temperature Alters Amino Acid Metabolism
Perng-Kuang Chang and Leslie L. Scharfenstein
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 05, 2014
The availability of a representative Gene Ontology (GO) database is a prerequisite for a successful functional genomics study. Using the online Blast2GO tool we constructed a GO database of Aspergillus flvus, a plant and human pathogen. Of the predicted total 13,485 A. flvus genes 8,987 were annotated with GO terms. The mean GO level was 5.64. Using a low stringency setting of a sequence cut-off number of 10 and a node score of 20, we obtained 1,177 GO terms associated with biological process, 3...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2377-3634/1410005
Novel Insulin Receptor-Signaling Platform
Fiona Haxho, Farah Alghamdi, Ronald J Neufeld and Myron R Szewczuk
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: October 30, 2014
Insulin receptor (IR) signaling plays a key role in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. A dysfunctional and/or unregulated IR activation has been shown to cause a range of clinical manifestations including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. The molecular mechanisms mediating IR activation have become an important area of scientifi and clinical research. Here, we summarize the current understanding of IR structure, function, and si...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2377-3634/1410004
Endothelial Function in Obese and Overweight Patients: The Role of Olive Oil, Fish and Nuts
Marco Matteo Ciccone, Pietro Scicchitano, Francesca Cortese, Michele Gesualdo, Fara Fornarelli, et al.
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 22, 2014
Objective: To assess the effect of olive oil, non fried fih and nuts on endothelial function in overweight/obese patients.
Methods: 47 overweight/obese patients (24 men, mean age 54 +/- 11 years) fed healthy diet (HD) defied according to the NuretaPREDIMED study for 3 months; after this 3 months of HD, the patients were blindly divided into 4 groups: Controls (24: HD), Group A (8: HD+olive oil), Group B (8: HD+not-fried fih), Group C (7: HD+nuts). These four groups were also followed-up for fur...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3419/1/1/1008
HER2 Positive Gastric And Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma; An Irish Tertiary Center Experience
Yasir Y Elamin, Shereen Rafee, Mutaz M Nur, Nemer Osman, John V Reynolds, Cian Muldoon and Kenneth J O'Byrne
Article Type: Research Article | First Published: October 29, 2014
Background: Trastuzumab has been approved for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) over expression and gene amplifiation metastatic gastric cancer. Here we present the prevalence of HER2 positive gastric cancer in an Irish population, the use of Trastuzumab in fist line and beyond progression.
Methods: The study was conducted in St James’s Hospital, Dublin. A retrospective analysis of the date of patients with HER2 positive gastric cancer over a period of 3 years was c...